When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, its a good core workout. If youre sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More

In the past 30 years, light artists have reimagined an art form that has always had the ability to turn the night sky, or a simple window, into luminescence. Last fall, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts turned its southern glass wall into a parade of sound-sensing lights, Lightswarm, that changes with the movements of nearby people and things. Future Cities Lab, the San Francisco design company behind Lightswarm, has originated another notable light sculpture. Located by the YBCA's steps at 701 Mission, Murmur Wall will light up in arresting ways as it incorporates local trending search engine results and social media postings. Onlookers can offer their own contributions, which will feed into the Murmur Wall's data stream and light up the sculpture. What's trending in San Francisco? If you're walking by the YBCA, you can see firsthand — at least through light patterns that reflect the city's volatile internet habits.
Murmur Wall debuts Thursday at 6 p.m. and continues through May 31, 2017, at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., S.F. Free; 415-978-2700 or ybca.org. More

What prompts you to present the way you do? Is it something you consciously think about?

It's interesting because the way I present myself has shifted a lot in
my 28 years. A lot of it has to do with how I feel about my body and how
comfortable I feel actually wearing the things I want to. I often feel
overdressed but I love skirts, dresses and heels. I like getting dolled
up. Why do I? I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I work
at home, so I sit in yoga pants all day. When I finally get to leave the
house, I'm ready to look presentable and give myself some physical self-confidence. But my wife and I are the same height and she doesn't like
when I wear heels, so I frequently stick with flats. But just this last
weekend, I bought a pair of booties and felt so sexy in them that I was
like "Sorry wife!" Sometimes you just want to feel good, even if you're
making your wife look like Tom Cruise to your Nicole Kidman.

If you don't have a definition, what do you think of Google's:
"A lesbian or a male homosexual who takes a traditionally feminine
sexual role."

I appreciate brevity so I say sure. Although I've never heard of a male being called "femme" so that's interesting.

Do you identify as femme? Why?

I do. I find that it fits me and I hate the term "lipstick lesbian."
Some people don't like labels but I don't mind. We need words to find
one another and if "femme" is mine, then I'm cool with it. I wear a lot
of skirts, dresses and make-up. My hair will never be cut above my chin
and I am attracted to more masculine women, so I fit the stereotype by
default.

Regardless of your previous answer, do other people identify you as femme? How do you feel about that?

Yes, and I'm fine with it because the alternative is they usually think I'm straight.

Do you feel like you have to try harder to be read or seen as queer? If so, how do you deal with that?

Yes, definitely and that's the downside. However, I feel like I
combat it by being very out in other ways. I speak very openly about my
wife, my sexuality and annoyingly shushing people who say things like
"That's gay." When I'm with my butch wife, it's easier to present as
queer, but in more hetero-normative settings where I'm assumed to be
straight, I know that I'll likely have to deal with those assumptions
early on. We all make assumptions and gaydar isn't always correct, so I
try to remember that about others too.

How does your gender affect your sexuality, if at all?

I don't know that it does for me, specifically, but I know it does
for many others. My being a woman, a lesbian, a femme -- all of these
things are one in the same to me. I have a unique position in that my
day job is also related to my sexuality, so I'm pretty much thinking
about being a lesbian 99.9 percent of the time.

Do you feel constricted in who you date/sleep with because of your appearance?

I have had some odd things happen based on how other people feel
constricted. I've had an ex tell me she prefers me not to wear dresses
and liked me better in jeans. At the same time, I didn't prefer her
cleavage bearing shirts so that relationship clearly didn't work out.
It's OK - we're friends now because we're lesbians! Otherwise, no. I am
attracted to more butch women, but I have heard a lot from femmes who
have trouble finding other femmes to date. They do exist though! I think
we're all just really picky.

If you could make up your own category to describe your appearance/gender presentation, it would be: ____ and why?

I'm terrible at things like this. I will stick with femme. It's French.

Lesbian representations on TV/movies are almost always femme. Do
you feel like this contributes negatively (or at all) to your
life/gender presentation/identity?

I like seeing reflections of myself in successful feminine women.
However, it'd be nice to see them paired up with someone I'd actually be
attracted to. Even Rachel Maddow gets femmed up for TV and I prefer her
off-camera look.

What are some resources/websites/books/movies you look to for inspiration about femmeness/queerness?

Queer-friendly fashion for femmes: Refinery29 and Nylon are good for
some fashion inspiration. Femmes have it easier because we can get
inspiration from anywhere straight women do, like Vanity Fair or Vogue.
I'm more inspired by people, like Alison Mosshart (The Kills), Kara
Laricks, Amber Heard, etc. In the past I have been inspired by movies,
like I had a huge Clueless phase where I took some risks. No one in my
sixth grade class appreciated my attempts.

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Slideshows

Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"